She’s been too busy sprinkling magic dust in Cinderella or cutting off heads as the Red Queen in the much-anticipated summer movie Alice Through the Looking Glass.

But she was drawn to this comedy – and not just because it was handily filmed near her home.

She enjoyed the original book, Love, Nina, by Nina Stibbe - a surprise bestseller about a young nanny caring for an eccentric North London family.

"What I love about the book is that it’s ordinary domestic life. A lot of it reflects my life," says Helena, 49.

Helena Bonham Carter plays mum George

"For me, one of my main relationships in life is with my nanny [she has two teenagers, Billy and Nell], and this is a story of that friendship.

"I read it quickly and I found it enchanting. I thought, well, this just makes me happy. If we can do this on the telly… if telly is happy-making, it is worth making."

The five-parter is adapted for TV by Nick Hornby, and starts with Nina (Game of Thrones’ Faye Marsay) having the oddest job interview when George (Helena) leaves her alone to be grilled by her sons.

Nanny Nina, played by Game of Thrones’ Faye Marsay, has her hands full with these lads

The boys (Ethan Rouse and Harry Webster) put her on the spot with questions like 'What football team do you support?’ – and ‘Are you a virgin?’

The book was written as a collection of letters between sisters, describing life for the naive Nina helping the busy single mother care for her boys and where dinner table chats veered from politics, to gossiping about the dry cleaner’s affairs, to when to use fresh veg or tinned.

Jason Watkins as odd neighbour

It is packed with amusing one-liners, the nanny’s observations (Nina on the messy house: ‘Have you just moved in?’), and Eighties nostalgia – who doesn’t want to remember Shakin’ Stevens, shoulder pads and Shirley Conran’s potboiler Lace?

Much hilarity ensues from Nina’s experiences in her new role, George’s love life, her slightly odd neighbour (Jason Watkins) and the precocious children.

"I hope the series will make people see a bit of magic in their everyday lives – if one’s not too tired to see it!" laughs Helena.